Threshold
by mew-tsubaki
Summary: Oneshot. Annie lets Owen see her and ends up hurt. Who knew ghosts could still have their feelings hurt? But then Mitchell comes home... R & R! *Some strong language.*


**Threshold**

by mew-tsubaki

Note: Nope, don't own the **Being Human** charries, though I really love 'em. Here's a one-shot taking place right after Annie reveals herself to Owen. The song is "Be Careful" by Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries (get her debut album, No Baggage, it kicks ass!) R & R, please!!!

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

Was he killing her all over again?

The cold look in his eyes made Annie shiver. She didn't think that was possible anymore. She was _dead_, for Pete's sake!

But Owen could still surprise her. No, he could still shock her. …No, that wasn't quite right either. He could still… He could still… _astound_ her. Yeah, that's right. …

Who was she kidding? There really wasn't a word good enough to describe this emotion.

As if learning he had killed her wasn't bad enough, she had haunted him. Now, after finally revealing herself to him, he pulled this. He saw her, all right. But he wasn't scared.

The ruddy tosser wasn't fucking scared!

Annie shook her head and leaned against the wall in the stairway. Mitchell and George still weren't home. She wasn't even sure she wanted them to be. Maybe wallowing in this on her own was the best way to deal with it. Yes, that's right. She wasn't sure of it.

… Oh, who was she kidding? She wasn't sure of anything right now!

She and George had reviewed all the basics of ghost study. Be fearsome, be repetitive, be threatening. It had gone well for a little while. Annie loved seeing him freak out when Owen saw something out of place. But she wasn't sure just how to take it to the next level. Throwing him around would've been nice. Maybe causing some other type of physical harm, too…

But no. She had chosen what she and George and Mitchell had always thought would be the worst thing: She had solidified in front of her ex-fiancée.

He hadn't even flinched!!!

No, no, instead he told Annie that he wasn't all that surprised that it was she who had been spooking him. And worst of all, when she tried to warn Jamie (though that girl was still a twat for having that long-running affair with Owen) to get out of that relationship before Owen could kill her, too, Jamie had been hysterical. And Owen had lied. He told Jamie that he hadn't seen anything while he was staring straight at Annie, his eyes dark and cold like Annie remembered they could get when he was angry.

Or just another person, the murdering son-of-a-bitch.

Annie's back shuddered under another horrendous sob. Maybe it really was good that the boys weren't home. She was sure neither of them would be able to handle her crying. Sure, she had cried before in front of them, but this- this was full-blown, full-out crying-out-her-eyes sobbing.

That bastard.

The ghost calmed down after a little while. It was quiet in the house, but it was a welcome quiet. Annie closed her eyes and let herself fade a bit, just enough so she could relax.

It had been an awful day.

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

Annie solidified early in the evening. _The boys should be home soon,_ she told herself.

She glanced around the house. All the mugs were out, full of either coffee or tea like usual. She frowned. There wasn't really anything for her to do.

Annie turned the stereo on, flipping to the radio. The DJ's voice floated out: "_Next is off the debut album of Dolores O'Riordan from The Cranberries! Here's 'Be Careful'!!_"

_I remember listening to The Cranberries when I was still in high school,_ Annie thought. She smiled as Dolores' breathy vocals filled the room:

_**I thought that he was insecure**_

_**But I don't think so anymore**_

_**Think about what you're living for**_

_**Now that you've opened up that door**_

__Annie froze. She loved Dolores' voice, but the lyrics to this song scared her. They reminded her too much of Owen.

_**Be careful what you're wishing**_

_**Be careful what you're wishing**_

_**Be careful what you're wishing for**_

No, no, this was not happening. It was like the words were mocking her. Annie had wished for _something_ to finally go wrong in Owen's life. And now someone was singing to her that she should've thought things through.

_**You might scream**_

_**You might shout**_

_**Trying to suss it out**_

_**Sinking low**_

The ghost stopped emptying the mugs and sat on the floor. She could feel the fresh tears getting ready to spill…

_**You might scream**_

_**You might shout**_

_**Trying to suss it out**_

_**Sinking low**_

At least she cried quietly this time. It was getting late. She didn't want George and Mitchell getting in trouble because the neighbors heard supernatural, terrifying moans wailing from the house.

_**For, the dictator, be careful what you're living for**_

_**Alcohol and cocaine, I think it's driving you insane**_

___I'm going insane…,_ Annie noted. The mugs in her vision were blurry. She focused on the song, though she tried not to, and she didn't hear the front door open and close.

"Annie!"

_**Be careful what you're wishing**_

_**Be careful what you're wishing**_

_**Be careful what you're wishing for**_

__The ghost looked up when her name was called. Heavy footsteps brought Mitchell into the kitchen. The worry in his eyes was evident as he dropped down in front of her. She latched onto him and cried into his neck.

_**Now that you've opened up the**_

_**Now that you've opened up the**_

_**Now that you've opened up that door**_

__"The-The stupid song," she blubbered. "Owen…"

Mitchell tried to look at her, but she kept her face buried in his neck. "Annie, what happened?"

_**You might scream**_

_**You might shout**_

_**Trying to suss it out**_

_**Sinking low**_

__That bloody chorus rang out, piercing her in the heart. Of course she was going to scream and shout. Nothing had been worse than today!!

"Annie," Mitchell prodded. "What did Owen do? Did he hurt you?"

"How can he? I'm corporeal, remember?" she whined. She let her hair fall in her face as Mitchell detached her and cupped her face in his hands.

"Annie, he hurt you somehow, otherwise you wouldn't be crying," the vampire stated.

"I saw him," she finally answered. "I mean, he saw me."

_**You might scream**_

_**You might shout**_

_**Trying to suss it out**_

_**Sinking low**_

__Mitchell's expression was inscrutable. "He saw you?"

Annie squidged up her face. "He saw me and he taunted me and I have never felt so dead before!!"

"What do you mean, he taunted you?" He furrowed his brow.

"I told Jamie to get out of there. You remember, the whore," Annie elaborated, gesturing wildly with her hands. "I warned her to leave him before she ended up like me. She freaked and ran to him. And he saw me. He saw me, told her nothing was there, and looked straight at me. He wasn't at all surprised to see me, Mitchell!" she snarled, her eyes dark and dangerous.

_**You might scream**_

__"That wasn't something I expected to see –or hear about," he stated somberly.

"It's like killing me wasn't bad enough!" Annie screamed.

_**You might shout**_

__Mitchell winced. "Annie, I'm right here. So, please, just calm down a bit and rant in an indoor voice. You know I'm here to listen."

_**You might scream**_

__Annie frowned at him. "Why can't something bad happen to him, Mitchell? Why is it always me?"

_**Be careful what you're wishing**_

_**Be careful what you're wishing**_

_**Be careful what you're wishing for**_

__The vampire lifted an eyebrow. "As Queen once said, 'Only the good die young'." He laughed as she punched his arm and shoved him.

"You're a git at the worst times, you know that?"

"I'm sorry, sorry…" But the laughter was still there in his shining eyes. "Annie," he said, brushing the tear tracks on her cheeks away with his thumbs, "Annie, sometimes evil people don't get what's coming to them fast enough. But it gives the karma enough time to build up so they'll hurt as bad as their victims at some point."

"I wish he was dead."

_**You might scream**_

_**You might shout**_

_**Trying to suss it out**_

_**Sinking low**_

__Mitchell frowned at her unhappy sneer. "Someday he will be. But do you really want him dead and hurting you in the afterlife? What if he became a ghost when he died, huh?" He raised his eyebrows. "At least you aren't forced to see him where you are now."

_**You might scream**_

_**You might shout**_

_**Trying to suss it out**_

_**Sinking low**_

__She really was fighting the tears back now. "Mitchell, it's unfair… I tried to be all he wanted, and this is what I get," she said, passing her hand through his shoulder.

"Annie."

The ghost looked at him and he caught that hand, it solidifying in his grasp. Well, that had never happened before. Annie tore her eyes from their hands to Mitchell's eyes.

"I've- We've told you time and again, Owen doesn't know what he's missing. He's a shitty little sod who didn't realize how special you were –_are_," he corrected.

She frowned. "Mitchell, don't…"

The vampire shook his head. "No. You're smart, beautiful, cheerful, funny –even if your humor is sometimes a little hard to understand."

Annie laughed. "That cheers me up so much," she said sarcastically, but her laughter died off when he squeezed her hand in his.

"Annie, you can't let him dictate how you'll feel the rest of your life. And you need to stay cheerful." He smiled wistfully. "I've had several lifetimes of melancholy. The least you could do is smile for me if you won't for yourself."

The ghost frowned, dipping her head, though one of his hands was still on her cheek. "Mitchell…"

He tilted her head back up and stared at her. His eyes were endless, like his eternity. They grew and grew until Annie shut her eyes. What a peculiar sensation this was in the afterlife. A kiss felt so different when you were intangible –or supposed to be. The rules changed some when you could become tangible every now-and-then.

_**You might scream**_

_**You might shout**_

_**Trying to suss it out**_

_**Sinking low**_

__Annie leaned her forehead against Mitchell's chin. That had been…strange. Sweet, but strange. It brought fresh tears to her eyes.

"Sorry," he nervously chuckled.

She gripped his scarf and held on for dear life (no pun intended). "No, it's not- it's not that. Just don't…don't move."

He was quiet. "…George…"

Annie shook her head. "What about him?"

"He won't be home tonight. He's with Nina," Mitchell said quietly.

The ghost looked up and kissed the vampire again. "Lovely pick-up line." She paused. "Just hold me."

_**Be careful what you're wishing for**_

__Finally the song ended. Mitchell held her tightly, and she folded up in his chest. Though technically they were both dead –well, him _undead_ –she felt warmth.

_Maybe it takes two who are cold to feel the warmth,_ Annie thought when he pecked the top of her head. She held onto him as tight as she could. At least Mitchell would probably always be with her. "Hey, Mitchell?"

"Annie?"

"Sing me a lullaby." _One that will stick with me for my several lifetimes –and several more of yours._

----------------------------------------------------------- ^-^3

**Sweet. I love Mitchell and I hope that ****Being Human**** will gain a nice fanbase, though one not full of goddamn preteens who don't understand the sensualities of vampires or the real troubles that come with being supernatural. *cough* Of course I don't mean any fanbase specifically… La-di-da.**

**Anywho, R & R! MitchellxAnnie forever! (which is funny when you consider that they really could be together forever…) I might do a sequel if requested…**

**-mew-tsubaki**


End file.
